


Break a Leg (Or an Ankle)

by Mo_mo54



Category: High School Musical (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, Getting Together, Injury Recovery, M/M, Post-Canon, Reunions, Smut, Unresolved Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-08
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-11-28 03:00:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20959349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mo_mo54/pseuds/Mo_mo54
Summary: 8 years since graduation and Chad Danforth is spending an evening at the theatre for his mother's birthday when a familiar face shows up in the spotlight. Things take a surprising turn (literally) when Ryan injures himself during the show and Chad takes it upon himself to make use of his medical degree.Buckle in for tension, drama, tooth rotting fluff and so much more!!





	1. A Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> To be completely honest, I have no fucking clue why I wrote this as my first fic here. I mean, High School Musical was eons ago, wtf ammiright!?  
But I guess there was just something in me that needed this to happen.  
(That something being the unfortunate lack of Chyan fics out there)  
Anyway, I'm happy with this and had a lot of fun writing, so... huh, I guess that answers my original question.  
Welp, if anyone is still out there in this fandom, I hope you enjoy!  
And please let me know whatcha think ;)

It had all started with a kiss. A sloppy, drunken kiss with their bodies against the upstairs bathroom door while the biggest graduation party of the century took place just outside. It was mostly teeth and tongue and  _ desperation _ as Chad continued pressing closer and closer until Ryan had, at one point, been certain he would be crushed to death. But, oh, what a lovely way it would have been to go. 

His fingers were tangled in Chad’s wild mane as rough hands began slipping beneath his shirt, caressing his stomach, his sides, sliding to the back of his hip to hold him while Chad rolled forward. A strangled moan tore itself from the blond's throat just as a loud crash echoed from beyond the door. 

Chad broke away with wide panicked eyes. “ _ Shiit! _ ”

“W-what?” Ryan asked in a lustdrunk slur, but the other was already prying open the door behind his back and rushing through. 

Chad jumped the two flights of stairs without thought on his way to the living room. He pushed through the dense crowd, stopping in horror as he took in the sight of his family’s new flat screen face down on the hardwood- taking its cords and mount with it, and leaving a large hole in the wall. Time stopped and all Chad could hear was the screaming in his head repeating  _ ‘I’m dead I’m dead I’m dead, fuck, I am so fucking dead!’ _

Suddenly he felt a strong hand on his shoulder followed by, “-ad!” He turned to find Troy looking at him expectantly, "Chad, you with us buddy?"

"I'm dead," he murmured in blankly.

"Yeah, you've been chanting that for, like, the last five minutes."

"Fuck, Troy, what the hell am I supposed to-” he stopped, looking around the relatively vacant living room littered with trash, “where is everyone?” 

“Outside, mostly,” Taylor answered, making her way back from the kitchen where the backdoors led out to the yard, “downstairs, on the lawn...though, I hear Jason’s going to try and pick up the party at his place.” 

Chad groaned, pulling at the roots of his hair, “Man, seriously?  _ Jason _ is taking over  _ my _ party?”

“Whoa, dude,” Troy interjected with an offended gesture, “ _ our _ party, remember?”

“Well, if you’d rather,” Taylor shrugged innocently, “I’m sure everyone would be happy to come back-”

“NO!” Chad exclaimed. Taylor exchanged a look with her friend who returned with a knowing smile.

“C’mon, Troy,” Gabriella started, gently pulling at his elbow, “help me grab some trash bags.” 

“No, make sure nobody steals the keg!” Chad instructed loudly. Troy shot him a couple of finger guns and followed Gabriella out.

Taylor moved closer and began rubbing Chad’s arm. He sighed, shaking his head in his hand. “I’m completely fucked, aren’t I?”

“Oh sweetie,” Taylor started sweetly as she smoothed back his hair before placing a soft kiss to his lips, “yes, you are completely fucked.” 

Chad groaned again and sank his head into her shoulder, wrapping his arms around her waist as he continued to pout.

“Ryan, there you are!” Kelsi slurred merrily from the kitchen doorway when the blond appeared at the top of the stairs. 

Chad snapped his head up, eyes immediately colliding with blue as his pulse began to race. Ryan’s eyes quickly flitted over him and the girl still half in his arms and, for a fraction of a second, Chad could have sworn he saw his jaw flex. It was shaken off quickly, however, and replaced by his usual bright grin turned to the brunette running to greet him at the bottom of the steps. 

Kelsi grabbed onto Ryan’s hand with a curious tilt of her head. “Where'dja go?” She stuck out her bottom lip, pulling herself close enough for Ryan to smell the alcohol on her tongue, "I missed you."

Ryan sucked in a deep breath, quickly shifting his eyes between she and Chad. “Oh, you know,” he shrugged as he subtlety back away, “just taking a break from the crazy. Though,” he frowned as he looked around the room, “looks like I accidently missed  _ all _ of it.”

“Oh hey, Ryan!” Gabriella started with a smile as she came back with handfuls of black bags. “The party’s out back if you’re looking for it. And don’t worry, Chad,” she sighed, “nobody stole the keg. But, uh,  _ thank you _ for reminding Troy you had one.” 

Chad winced sympathetically, “uhh, yeah, sorry.” 

"I’m sure you are," Taylor drawled, patting Chad's chest as she took a bag from Gabriella. Chad forced a smile, careful to keep his eyes fixed on the floor as she walked away. He took a deep breath and bent down to unplug any wires on the TV. 

“You want any help with that?” Ryan asked from Chad’s side. 

Chad straightened back up, taking in the other’s appearance. He’d cleaned up since their.. Ahem…  _ exploits _ in the bathroom only a handful of minutes ago. His crisp red shirt was buttoned all the way up and tucked neatly back into stark white pants held up with a black belt; his hair had been brushed back, styled as though Chad hand never run his fingers through- never desperately pulled at in the first place. Though, immaculate as he appeared, Chad still felt he looked incompletely without the slick black hat that was sitting proudly on Kelsi’s head- reminding him exactly who Ryan belonged to, just like Taylor and his lucky necklace. 

Chad gulped, averting his eyes guiltily. “Uh, yeah, sure.” 

Ryan frowned when Chad flinched away from the accidental brush of their hands on the cords. Once it was unplugged, they each took a side; the glass of the screen began raining from the frame when they slowly lifted it to the couch. Chad looked absolutely miserable taking in all the damage. 

“Fuck, dude,” Chad whined, sinking to the floor beside Ryan’s legs.

“Yeah,” Ryan nodded, stopping himself from reaching out by stuffing his hands in his pockets as he offered his most sympathetic smile, “I’m sorry.”

“‘S not your fault…” Chad groaned loudly as he stretched back, palms pressing into his eyes. 

Ryan gulped, shifting his weight nervously, because, well, it kinda was, wasn’t it? If they hadn’t been locked away upstairs, Chad might have been able to stop whatever happened. 

As if reading his thoughts, Chad tapped his shoe with his foot to get his attention. “I mean it, Evans," his mouth curved lazily to one side, eyes full of  _ something _ that made the blond's heart stutter, "you didn’t-”

“And what exactly are you doing down there?” Taylor interrupted, smiling fondly at boy on the floor. Ryan cleared his throat and stepped back.

“Wallowing.” Chad replied easily, following Ryan's retreat with a frown. 

She rolled her eyes, “Well, Mr. Self Pity, there’s still a party outside and _I_, for one, would like to get to dance with my boyfriend before dawn.” 

“I thought everyone was going to  _ Jason’s _ .”

“All the lame ones.” Kelsi snorted, appearing suddenly on Ryan’s arm. “Only the best remain.”

“Exactly,” Taylor agreed, “so let’s finish cleaning this up and then go stop Troy and Zeke from killing off the keg.”

\--

Kelsi had set her dj station to autopilot so she was able to go crazy on the patio-made-dancefloor. She’d been right about the best ones staying behind, Chad realized as he looked around at his friends. Most of the newly graduated basketball team were still there along with a handful of Taylor and Gabi’s friends and even a few familiar theatre faces (though their actual names escaped him). Everyone seemed to be having the time of their lives, including Ryan who’d been pulled into a chaotic dance with his fairly drunk girlfriend. 

Chad watched them with an ugly knot twisting in his chest. It was stupid, really, why should he be bothered by his  _ friend _ dancing with his  _ girlfriend _ ? He wasn’t bothered by the way Troy and Gabriella had hardly disconnected as they danced. He didn’t mind any of the other couples; he didn’t even care about one of the nameless boys talking closely with Taylor.  _ His _ Taylor. 

No, it was just Ryan. He was the only one making Chad tighten his grip around his cup. It was in the way he tipped his head back when he laughed, how he spun around and pulled Kelsi close to him, whispering something in her ear that made her cheeks go red. Chad didn’t like it, and he  _ hated _ that he didn’t like it because why the hell should it matter to him? 

What happened upstairs was a drunken fluke. It had to be. He was hot and bothered and Ryan was  _ there _ . It had been a mistake. One he wasn't even sure Ryan had been completely willing to make.

He loved Taylor, didn’t he? Wasn’t that what people felt when they’d been together for so long? Did Ryan love Kelsi? They’d been together since Homecoming earlier that year, which wasn’t nearly as long as he and Taylor so maybe not. Then again, it took Troy and Gabriella much less time to declare their undying devotion, so who was to say Ryan and Kelsi weren’t like them? And even if they weren’t, what right did Chad have to get in the middle of that? None whatsoever. They deserved to be happy. He never should have pulled Ryan into that bathroom. No matter how breathless, how dizzy, how  _ desperate _ it had made him feel.

“You look like you’re having a blast.” Taylor commented, silently offering him another solo cup.

Chad took it with a grateful smile, “Just thinking.”

“You know," she started with a sigh, "you’re parents are going to kill you either way, so why worry about it right now?”

He snorted, “Was that supposed to make me feel better?”

“I’m just saying, you have until morning to enjoy complete freedom,” she stood, pulling gently on his arm, “why waste it?” 

Chad chuckled, downing the rest of his cup before letting himself be dragged to the dancefloor. Taylor wrapped her arms around his neck as she began rolling her shoulders back. Her smile was bright and goofy and shone through her eyes as they moved. They weren’t good, but they were laughing and spinning nonetheless. And when the music slowed and Chad held Taylor close, he just smiled. 

He had this incredible girl in his arms- one who was brilliant and beautiful and fun- one he’d be hard pressed to find ever again. And she had chosen  _ him _ of all people. So, when the song was over and Taylor began pulling him toward the house- up to his room- of course he followed. Because he was in love with her, right? Because he’d be stupid not to be. 


	2. A Wicked Coincidence

** _8 Years, 2 Months, and 17 Days Later_ **

"Oh I am just so _ excited _ !" Mrs. Danforth grinned merrily at the deep scarlet curtains in front of them. "I've wanted to see this show for _ so long _," she looked at her son, "I'm glad you finally got around to getting me tickets. Only took you 6 years." 

Chad rolled his eyes as he mumbled to himself, "_ ' Wow, thanks, Chad, for an awesome and rather expensive birthday present!' _" 

"Thank you, sweetheart," she smiled sweetly, leaning in her seat to give him a kiss on the cheek that he was sure he'd have to wipe off later. "There's no better present than having a date night with my favorite son."

"... I'm your only son."

"And my _ favorite _," she hummed and patted his cheek fondly. Chad snorted, turning his attention back to the stage as the lights slowly began to dim.

As the music began building the scene and the curtains were drawn back, Chad sighed, settling back in his seat. There were a lot of things that had changed in his life, one of which was his taste for musicals. Don't get too excited, it wasn't _ that _ big of a change, but he had gained a new appreciation for them as time passed. It certainly helped that his mother had, for the past few years, been requesting theatre tickets for birthdays/holidays/'whenever you feel like doing something nice for the woman who _ raised _ you'. It had been that way ever since his dad passed- she wanted to share _ experiences _ before it was too late. 

The more Chad went to these shows- the more performers that came through his practice- the greater appreciation he had for them. It made him embarrassed of how he had thought and acted when he was younger. And, far from the first time, he found himself wishing he could go back and apologize to his friends for acting as though their clique was all that mattered, to the drama geeks who he had mocked, to R-

Point was, he had evolved as a person. There wasn't much he could do to make up for his teenage arrogance, but there was some comfort in knowing that he hadn't been completely alone in it. Most everyone he knew moved on from their high school days and had traded old dreams for new. 

Zeke, for example, had actually ended up as a guidance counselor somewhere in Santa Fe. Last Chad had heard, he still thoroughly enjoyed dancing around his kitchen, but it had taken a back seat in discovering new passions. 

Troy and Gabriella were still together (not without their fair share of trials), and were expecting a baby girl in February. Troy was planning on working from home to be with the baby when Gabi had to go back to the non profit she worked with. 

Taylor had gotten a PhD in Physics and was working at some fancy company that had contracts with NASA. Which, by Chad's account, really made her the only one he knew who had ended up exactly where she planned to be all those years ago. 

Well, no, he had heard that wasn't entirely true.

Chad shifted in his seat as he brought his attention back to the stage where a small chariot rolled across, nearly knocking the green witch over. He smiled at his mom's chuckle, but it fell the moment the lax body inside the chariot flinched awake. 

Chad felt his heart race, his stomach drop, breath catching in his suddenly dry throat as Ryan Fucking Evans sauntered to his feet. He wore a smug smile as he spoke, walking across the stage with a confident swagger in each step, absolutely _ commanding _attention- the audience's, the characters', the spotlight's- and boy did he get it. 

His hair was a darker, dirtier blond and carefully crafted somewhere between prince charming and playboy extraordinaire. His features had gotten stronger- jawline more pronounced, body lean and lithe beneath his well tailored outfit. But it was ultimately the red button down under brown suspenders- too closely resembling the last outfit Chad had seen him in all those years ago- which brought on another round of stomach churning guilt and enchantment and panic and pride and melancholy and just plain _ awe _. 

It wasn't only Ryan's looks that had matured, but his voice and movements as well. Each step, spin, jump was perfectly executed in a way that seemed completely natural- effortless as breathing. Each note carried the character on its wings, fully establishing Ryan and Fiyero as one in the same. It didn't matter who or what was happening on stage, if the blond was there, Chad's eyes followed, and if he wasn’t, Chad felt as though theatre got a little duller until he reappeared. 

It was perhaps thanks to that close scrutiny that Chad was able to catch the moment it happened- the tiniest _ slip _ of a shoe at just the right moment the dancer came down from spinning hop. Ryan’s foot folded the wrong direction, but he caught himself by shifting his weight to the other before his composure had a chance to crumble. He held himself high, continuing with the scene as though nothing had happened- holding the good witch’s hands while casting forlorn looks to Elphaba when 'nobody' was looking. But Chad had seen enough dancers come through the office to know a bad landing when he saw one. He read the tightness of the blond’s jaw, the way he continued to keep the barest amount of weight possible on his left foot until he finally exited the stage. Chad waited a few more minutes to see if Ryan would reappear, but once Emerald City was on the horizon, he deemed it safe enough to attempt to make an unordered house call. 

His mother frowned as he stood, crossing over her to get to the aisle. He swiftly left the house, ignoring the automatic guilt that accompanied leaving a show, any show, early. And it wasn’t as though he hadn’t been enthralled with the entire performance; it was an amazing show thus far, even if he already knew how it ended. He would definitely have to see it again, sometime when he wouldn’t be so thoroughly distracted. For the time, however, the physician in him pushed him to at least _ check _ on the poor dancer- make sure it had been better than it looked. It was, after all, his job, he reminded himself as he hunted for the backstage door. It didn’t matter that it was Ryan, he’d do the same for any performer. 

Finally, after several minutes of searching, he found a steel, knobless outline of a door cracked open by the foot of a woman dressed head to toe in black with a cellphone pressed tightly to her ear. 

“...he says he’s fine, but I think he should see someone anyway… no, I wouldn’t call it an _ ‘emergency’ _, but… isn’t there anyone nearby who… okay, I understand… yes, we’ll do that, thanks.” She stifled a groan once the call ended, resting her head back on the wall.

Chad loudly cleared his throat. “Rough night?”

The woman in black straightened, her face became stern, “Sir, you’re really not authorized to be here.”

“Sorry,” he held up his hands, “I just, uh, thought I saw that actor- Fiyero, I think- land badly and, well, I’m a doctor so I- um-”

“Wait,” she blinked, “you’re a doctor?” 

“Sports physician, actually.” 

“That’s, wow, um, _ convenient _," she regarded him skeptically. "What’s your name?”

“Chad- uh I mean _Charles._" He sucked in a nervous breath and smiled, "Charles Danforth.” 

“Huh, could you hang out for just a minute?” 

“Er, yeah, I guess-”

“Great!” Then she disappeared back through the door, leaving Chad in the cold hall. Now that he was there, he couldn’t help but think that maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. Ryan probably didn’t need him, he was probably _ fine _ . And if he was and Chad just _ appeared _, how weird would that be? How would Ryan even react? He probably had no interest in seeing him ever again. Fuck, Chad should never have looked for him.

But before he had a chance to retreat, the door opened once more and the woman stuck her head out. 

“Right, well, Dr. Danforth, come with me, but be silent as the grave.” She instructed, cracking the stage door just enough for him to slip through. They were on a small landing lit only by a few dull bulbs spaced far apart but close to the floor. There was a small flight which Chad could tell led to the stage itself- alive and loud with the crescendo of _ A Sentimental Man _. Another went down, which was the direction the woman began pulling him once the door silently clicked closed. 

“At least you got here _ before _ intermission,” she murmured to him as they began down a dark brick hallway, “it becomes _ chaotic _.”

Chad attempted to reply, but he found he had forgotten how to breathe the closer they got. The woman didn’t seem to mind, however, and began chatting quietly on the headset hanging off one ear. She came to a sudden stop near the end of the hall then raised one hand and knocked. The door slowly creaked open and Chad was quickly shuffled in.

Ryan was laying on a small sofa- his hair tousled, shirt unbuttoned to reveal a white undershirt damp with sweat, one leg hung lazily off the side of the couch as the other’s pant leg had been rolled to just below his knee and was propped up on a pillow where a nervous looking redhead held a bag of ice to his ankle.

“I already told you, James,” the blond started to a frazzled man pacing in front of him, “I’m _ fine _.”

“Don’t give me that, Ryan, your ankle’s swelling like a balloon!” 

“Hint’s the ice, _ darling _.” 

The woman, who, by then Chad had distinguished as the stage manager, loudly cleared her throat. All eyes snapped to them and Chad suddenly felt like he was standing naked in front of a ton of strangers. Only it was so much worse because one of them was looking at him with the same blue eyes he used to get lost in. When they crashed into Chad’s, there was the barest spark of recognition, but they narrowed in a way that said he couldn't be placed; and that _ hurt _ in a way he never could have expected. After all, he had known Ryan the instant he appeared on stage. 

Then again, Chad supposed he looked a lot different from high school. He was wearing a dark navy suit that perfectly tailored his solid frame; his jaw was covered with well groomed stubble; plus, and possibly most distinguishable was his hair which was shorter, darker, more tame. Ryan had grown, but in a way that simply evolved from his youth whereas Chad had almost completely _ transformed _. For the better, he knew because he’d worked damn hard to become who he was now. Yet, standing in front of Ryan after all this time filled him with inexplicable doubt.

“Who are _ you _?” James asked, slowly running his eyes over Chad critically.

“Uh-” Chad broke his gaze from Ryan, but found he hadn’t quite heard what the man had asked. "What?"

The man scoffed before looking at the woman in black, “Melissa, tell me who this buffoon-”

“Dr. Charles Danforth-” she answered promptly.

Ryan’s bright blue eyes widened, his mouth fell agape as gears finally _ clicked _ into place. Chad quickly focused back on the woman as she continued,

“-Sports Medicine Physician at The Albuquerque Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center for the last year and a half. Mostly 3.5 stars and up reviews on Google, which is,” she paused with a small smile, “impressive, all things considered.” Chad blinked at her. She shrugged, “Did you think I’d let you back here without doing some research? Do you have any idea the crazy things fans try to pull to see Mr. Evans?”

Chad shook his head, still avoiding Ryan’s burning gaze. 

“Suffice to say pretending to be a doctor would be mild.” 

“Hm,” James gave him another doubtful onceover, “so you just _ happened _to be nearby?”

“Actually, I was in the audience,” Chad answered with a quick side glance to the still gaping blond, “and I noticed R- uh Mr. Evans’s misstep-”

“It wasn’t a misstep,” Ryan interjected crossing his arms. 

This time, Chad didn’t shy away from the crystal eyes bearing into him. He just smirked, “Right, which explains why your ankle is swollen and your SM had to call someone to look at it.”

Ryan narrowed his eyes as Melissa said something into her headset that made James groan. 

“And that’s my cue.” he grumbled rubbing at his temples before looking at Chad seriously, “Please let me know what you find, and if you need anything,” he gestured to the girl hold ice, “Jessie can help.”

Then he fled the room, SM in his wake. Ryan was still, silent, unwavering in his newfound dedication to study Chad’s every move. 

It made the brunet begin to panic as he stepped further into the room. His fight or flight instincts kicked in and he paused suddenly, his body already choosing the latter. He patted at his pockets and took a step back, “Um, shoot, ya know, I actually have to run to my car for my emergency med kit-”

“Jessie” Ryan started without breaking his eyes from the other man, “be a dear and run out to _ Dr. Danforth’s _ car, will you?”

The girl looked nervously between the pair as she got to her feet. “Yeah, sure.”

Chad sighed resoundly and handed the girl his keys and ticket number for the valet. “It’s the grey duffle in the trunk.” She nodded and headed out. “Oh, also,” he stopped her in the doorway, “uh, my mom’s coat is in the front- it’s dark blue with a little peacock brooch. Could you grab that, too? She seemed a little cold before I left so…”

Jessie smiled sweetly, “Yeah, no problem” 

Then she was gone, door clicking shut behind her like the last nail in a coffin. 


	3. An Awkward Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Allow me to preface this by saying that I am not a doctor, so I apologize if I missed some terminology.
> 
> That being said, I am basing a lot of this on personal experience from when I broke my foot during CATS and had to carry out my performance lounging on scenic junk because there was no understudy.

Chad slowly turned around- pulse racing, ears ringing- to face the ghost of highschool past.

Ryan had shifted to sit up straighter as he watched the other with a soft smile. “Still a mama's boy, eh Danforth?”

Chad snorted, “You're one to talk, _ ‘Duckie’_.”

Ryan chuckled, shaking his head, “You, uh, remember that, huh?” 

“I remember a lot,” he replied absently as he slipped out of his suit jacket, then shook himself because, shit, why would he _ say _ that? Ryan opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by the awful sound of Chad dragging a cloth covered ottoman toward the end of the couch. 

“So,” Chad started again, slowly rolling his sleeves to his elbows, “since you’re so sure this wasn’t a ‘misstep’,” he smirked as the blond rolled his eyes, “why don’t you tell me what happened?”

“Some of the tulle on Andrea’s dress was ripped,” Ryan explained with an edge of contempt, "and apparently _ nobody _ thought that maybe they should patch it back up or just cut the damn thing off between scenes."

"So your shoe slipped when you landed the second soutenu with- I'm assuming Andrea is the chick playing Glenda?"

Ryan tilted his head in fascination, "Soutenu?"

"Er-" Chad shrugged, directing his attention back to the other's ankle, "well, yeah, I, uh, work with a lot of dancers, so I'm used to seeing this type of thing." 

"You must have been looking pretty closely to notice that," Ryan commented with a sly smirk. "I mean, _ Melissa _ didn't even know something happened until I came wobbling off stage, and, let me tell you, that bitch sees _ everything_."

"What can I say," Chad cleared his throat while Ryan tried to bite back a bright grin, "I'm _ observant_."

"You know, I'm more shocked that _ you_, Charles Danforth, know what a soutenu is."

"Hey," he smiled cheekily, "I can be cultured.” The blond chuckled, shaking his head. “What?”

"Nothing, it’s just," Ryan sighed, running a hand through his hair, "I can't believe you're a _ doctor _ now."

“Why not?” Chad frowned.

“I don’t know," he shrugged, "I just never pictured you as anything but a brainless jock.”

"Okay, ouch."

"No," Ryan anxiously sat up, "that came out wr-_ ah!_"

"Whoa," Chad started scornfully, holding the other's leg in place, “stay still, man!"

The blond did, whimpering as he leaned back. Chad sighed, moving to the floor beside Ryan's trunk. 

"Arm," he commanded, missing the way the other gulped before complying. He slid soft fingers over Ryan's warm skin in search of the perfect pulse and pressure points, which was unusually difficult because the blond's heart rate was _ erratic_.

"Ryan," he drawled around a smirk, "_breathe_."

“Right, sure…” Ryan rolled his eyes, but did his best. Chad smiled to himself, because, well maybe he was reading too much into it, but he couldn’t help but think that the other’s rushing heart- the goosebumps rising on his arms, the faint blush dusting his cheeks- were partially due to him.

With a few deep breaths, Ryan was finally able to somewhat regulate his pulse. Chad finally found a good spot above the elbow, and moved the blond's arm to rest beside his ear as he pressed a pair fingers down and another into his wrist. 

After a couple silent seconds, Ryan began in a small voice, "I wasn't-"

“_Shh_.” Chad glared, turning up his watch. He let go precisely 10 seconds later, sighing, “You’re not making this any easier by getting worked up.”

“I’m not-”

“You realize I am literally holding your pulse, right?”

“Okay,” Ryan breathed, “sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, just _ relax_,” he instructed, readjusting his grip. This time was easier to get an accurate read on his vitals- possibly thanks to Ryan’s determination to study to death a speck on the opposite wall. 

Once Chad’s warm fingers left his skin, he frowned. “You know, I didn’t mean-”

"I know," Chad interrupted quietly, moving back to sit on the ottoman. “But people change, Evans." He paused, smirking at Ryan beneath his lashes eyes, “Well, _ most _ of us do.”

The blond tipped his head back and laughed, "Fair enough, Danforth."

"Chad," he corrected absently as he gingerly moved Ryan’s foot into his lap. Once there, he began rubbing his fingers around the swelling- brow furrowed in concentration. After a few general passes, he carefully pressed his thumb right below Ryan's ankle bone. The blond jerked away with a soft cry. Chad frowned deeply. 

"What?" Ryan asked anxiously. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Okay, Evans," Chad started looking at him seriously, "on a scale of one to five- five being the worst-"

"No, _ nope_," Ryan shook his head, "I'm not doing the scale thing, I'm _ fine_."

"You just-"

"_You _ just dug your fucking thumb into my injured ankle, _ Chad _! Obviously, it hurt!"

Chad sucked in a deep breath, "I _ barely _ touched you, and if that was enough to make you cry out, then this could be something serious."

"If anything, it's just a sprain," Ryan reasoned, "I've rolled my ankle enough times to recognize it."

"And I've had enough fractures come through my office to 'recognize' that _ this _ is not 'just a _ sprain'_." 

Ryan let out a breathy laugh, "Look, I think I know my body better than you, and trust me, it's not broken. "

"I'd bet my career it _ is_," Chad snapped, "but we won't know how badly until we get an x-ray."

"Shit," Ryan's face fell. "You're serious."

"I'm sorry, Ryan, but-" Chad was cut off by the door swinging open. 

"Oh, um," Jessie stopped, taking in the atmosphere she'd just walked into, "should I come back?"

"No." 

"Yes!"

Chad breathed through his nose, rubbing at his temples. "Ignore him, you're timing is perfect." 

“Actually, I _ really _ think you should fetch some more ice.” Ryan all but ordered through a cold smile. "Maybe from somewhere on the _ other side _of the theatre."

She nodded slowly as she handed off the bag and jacket to Chad. "Sure…"

“You didn’t need to do that,” Chad commented once the door clicked. “The ice you had before has already helped it as much as it can for the time being.”

"I know," Ryan bristled, “I just don’t want to worry her until you’re done.” 

The man shook his head silently as he began digging through his bag. He pulled out a prescription bottle, read the label, then stretched it toward the blond. "Take two of these."

"Um, no thanks."

"Relax," Chad rolled his eyes, tossing the bottle to his chest, "it's just extra strength ibuprofen. It'll help with the pain-"

"I'm not in pain," Ryan lied seamlessly.

Chad raised an eyebrow and continued, "-as well as the swelling, which should patch you over until you can get to an actual hospital."

Ryan rolled his eyes, but threw back a couple of pills nonetheless. "How long for it to heal?"

"Depends on the damage," Chad shrugged, "at least a month."

Ryan covered his face with his hands and groaned. "That's cutting into Phoenix."

"Then you've probably got another few weeks of rehab." 

Ryan uncovered his face to glare at the other as though he just told him Santa wasn't real. "Come again?"

"Well, yeah, man," he started matter of factly, pulling a rolled wrap into his lap, "you can't expect to jump straight back into performing after being off it that long. You'll need to strengthen it so you won't fuck it up all over again."

"So, best case scenario would be?"

"6 weeks."

The blond grit his teeth, "And worst?"

Chad held his breath, slowly unrolling the fabric, "5 months to get back to performing, and that's as long as you don't need surgery."

Ryan's head fell back on the couch. "I am going to _ slaughter _ the entire costume department!"

"Hey, it was an accident, dude," Chad shrugged as he gently began wrapping the top of the other’s ankle, "and, really, I'm just amazed at how you saved it from being much, much worse." He grinned, "Those were some smooth moves, Evans."

Ryan sucked in air between his teeth. "Now is really not the _ best _ time to try and flirt with me, Danforth."

Chad froze. "I- I'm not-"

The blond scoffed in disbelief, "You never are."

"Hey, man,” Chad started, continuing his work, “I'm just trying to make you feel better."

"Well you really _ suck _ at it."

Chad let out a suffered sigh while Ryan looked away, biting the inside of his cheek as the worst of the pain was compressed beneath the cloth. 

Chad had just finished securing the wrap when Ryan finally spoke again, “So now what?”

“Now,” Chad answered sternly, “we get your ass to the hospital and get this properly looked at.”

“Okay,” the blond nodded watching the other get to his feet.

“'_Okay’_?”

“Yes, 'okay', Chad,” Ryan started slowly, “I’m not an idiot, I’ll go to the fucking hospital.” 

“Oh,” Chad blinked, “well... good. I, uh, just need to tell my-”

“_After _ I finish the show.”

Chad's hand shot up to rub over his eyes as he clenched his jaw. “You’re fucking-" he sucked in a breath, "Were you even _ listening _ to me!?" 

"Oh, every word, hon," the blond's smile was sickeningly sweet as he sat up, swinging his leg to the edge of the couch, "but you need to understand, I've done this show a thousand and one times, so I know exactly what to modify to make it work."

“And the dancing?” Chad pressed, crossing his arms. “How are you going to manage shifting your weight so often without not _ only _ further fucking up your ankle but also your character? Not even _ you _ can hide that much pain, and trust me, it would be _ very _ painful.” 

“I'll manage. Besides, really, it’s only another, pft, hour and a half or so. As long as I make some modifications, it'll be _ fine_. Then I promise I'll stay off it for however long I need to.”

"You need to stay off it _ now _."

"Look," Ryan started with a sigh, shifting his body so both feet were on the floor in front of him, "the way I see it, if I'm going to be out that long anyway, I might as well finish tonight with everything I've got. I mean, you've already _ wrapped _ my ankle, so-"

"I didn't wrap it so you could finish the fucking show."

"But it's still nice and _ supportive_."

“Ryan, stop,” he snapped, smoothing out his brow. “_Please _ just… just _ stop _ arguing with me! I know what I'm talking about. You physically _ cannot _ go out there."

"Oh, ye have little faith..." He smiled as he slowly pushed himself to his feet, doing his best to keep the pain from reaching his eyes. "See?" He spread his arms, "I'm perfectly ready to go."

“Yeah?” Chad took a step closer, challenging the blond with a tilt of his head. “You sure about that?” 

"Pretty-"

A hand roughly pushed the blond in the center of his chest. Ryan yelped, hand automatically latching onto Chad’s collar, dragging him along as he fell. Chad caught himself with his hands on the back of the couch before their foreheads collided, but he didn’t bother backing away, just as Ryan hadn’t bothered letting him go. 

"See?" Chad huffed, looming over the blond between his arms. "Can't even keep your balance."

"That's not fair," Ryan replied breathlessly, shifting his eyes across the other's too near face, "you caught me off guard."

"Uh-huh," Chad's mouth curved on one side as the blond subconsciously licked his lips, "whatever you say…"

He hadn't even realized the space shrinking between them until there was a loud noise on the other side of the door. Ryan dropped his hand just as Chad pushed himself back. 

A few heavy moments passed before Chad could speak. “My point _ is_,” he started as he ran a shaky hand down his face, “you can hardly stand let alone perform.”

“And you're not hearing me,” the blond frowned, still panting slightly, “out there, each step is accounted for; I can’t be taken off guard."

“Ryan,” Chad started in the same tone he was used to taking with his younger sisters, "I know this sucks and I understand how much you want to hear something else, but-"

"Oh, you- you _ understand_?" Ryan scoffed. “You _ know _ how I worked my _ ass off _ just to make it to any scrap of Broadway I could? Or how I would go weeks without a good rest, sometimes days without a proper meal, just to be sure I was absolutely _ perfect _ . So that maybe, _ maybe _ I could actually compete with the hundreds of names begging to be put up in lights?” His voice was cracking and he could feel his cheeks start to hurt and eyes begin to sting, but he kept going. Because he had to make Chad understand that he couldn’t ask him to leave. Because he was desperate. “I have worked so hard and struggled _ so much _ to get where I am, and now you’re telling me I have to just step away without even _ considering _ another avenue?”

Chad’s chest was tight, a lump had formed in his throat at the anguish clouding the other’s bright eyes. This was always the hardest part of the job: telling a patient, someone who has dedicated their life to their sport, that they had to stop. He knew it wasn’t as easy as it sounded, he knew how heartbroken, how angry it made them- but he also knew better than most what exactly would happen if they didn’t. 

"Ryan," he began gently, squatting in front of the other, "I'm sorry, really I am, but a broken ankle is not _ negotiable_,” he sighed, tone taking on something akin to pleading, “it's not something you can just _ will _ away or appeal to. It needs to heal and you need to give it that time or you'll do serious damage."

Ryan's face was all sharp angles and hard lines as he focused on the wall past Chad's head. "I'll simplify the blocking and stay out of the choreography. I'm sorry, I know you don't understand-"

"There's where you're wrong, I _ do _ understand." Chad dipped his head, eyes closed, and forced a deep breath through his mouth- it had been a long time since he'd talked about this. "I lost my scholarship at U of A when I tore my ACL and was forced off the team mid season. And you wanna the worst part?" He frowned, looking back at the blond, "I could have stopped it. Not the original injury, I mean, that was completely unexpected, but I could've stopped what came next. My physician told me to take it easy, let things _ heal _ , but I just-" he shrugged, "I didn't listen. I thought 'he's being dramatic, that could never happen to _ me' _ . But, uh," he sighed, "it did and I lost my ride. I had to start applying myself to other programs, which, I mean, I guess was actually a good thing because otherwise I wouldn't be where I am now, and," he shrugged, "I _ like _ where I am." 

"I didn't know," Ryan replied quietly.

"Yeah well, most people don't," Chad's small smile was distant as he met crystal blue eyes that were so full of sympathy, he almost regretted unloading that much at once. Oh well, too late now. He roughly cleared his throat, "Look, at the end of the day, it's your body, your choice. And as much as I'd like to tie you up and keep you off your feet, it's not up to me."

Ryan licked his lips and grinned spreading with the fresh blush across his cheeks. "Tie me up, huh?"

Chad snorted, shaking his head, "You're missing my point."

The blond averted his eyes, frowning, "No I'm not."

Chad nodded slowly, "So you still want to go out."

"I have to."

"No, you _ don't_," he almost whispered, brow furrowed, eyes pleading. 

Ryan furrowed his brow skeptically, "Why do you care so much?"

"You mean other than the fact that it is literally my job? I don't know, Ryan," the brunet gulped, shrugging, "maybe because I care about _ you_."

Ryan’s face fell and he dropped his gaze to his lap. He sat silently for a few moments, watching his fingers twisting together, before replying in little more than a whisper, “Little late for that, don’t you think?”

“Okay…” Chad blinked, confused, “I didn’t realize caring about someone had an expiration date.”

"After 8 years of radio silence?” The blond continued in a quiet voice, frown deepening, “‘Scuse me if the gesture doesn’t taste a bit _ sour_."

"Well, Ryan," Chad started tersely, straightening back to his feet, "the road goes both ways and I don't recall getting so much as an _ email _ from you either."

Ryan offered a pained chuckle, head tilted toward the ceiling. "Now _ why _ would I do that after you'd made it pretty damn clear I wasn't anything more to you than a failed experiment?"

"_'Failed'- _ hah…" Chad shifted his jaw, "Look, hate to break it to your over-inflated ego, but you _ weren't _ my sexual identity crisis."

He had been, but that wasn't the point.

"_Wow_,” the blond finally met the other’s eyes with venom, “is that somehow supposed to make me _ feel _better?"

"Jesus," Chad groaned, rubbing at brow with both hands, "do you, uh, _ really _ want to do this now, Evans? Because I'm just telling you that whatever hissy fit you wanna throw, it's not going to-"

"_Hissy fit? _"

"Yeah, you know, the kind you Evanses are _ famous _ for."

Ryan glared, "Why don't you leave my sister out of this?"

Chad shrugged innocently, "I didn't say-"

"You didn't _ have _to."

"I'm just pointing out the similarities."

"You know what, you're right," Ryan shook his head, "I don't want to get into this now, hell maybe not ever. It's not like it matters anyway!" He tightened his jaw, careful to keep his eyes trained forward, "You'll stay here, I'll leave, and we'll just go back to forgetting the other existed."

Chad frowned, "Is that what you think happened?” He took a cautious step closer, leaning down to intercept the other’s eyes, “That I just _ forgot _ about you?"

Ryan shifted his glare and snarled, "Well I sure as hell forgot about _ you_."

Chad's face fell as he took a step away- all air escaping his body like he'd just been knocked flat on his back. 

"Wow," he blinked, huffing out a broken chuckle, "I'm an idiot." 

Ryan's eyes went wide as his words caught up with him. "Wait, no, Chad-"

The door slammed open before he could finish and the room was quickly flooded with anxious cast and crew.

"Ryan, _ darling_, I can't believe this happened!" Andrea (Glenda) cried, throwing herself to Ryan's side. Chad’s eyes stayed trained to Ryan’s- wide and pleading and bright and, fuck, it _ hurt_. The weight behind them, behind his harsh words, were sinking like ice daggers into Chad’s chest and it all became too much. Chad broke away, taking the opportunity to turn and slip through the crowd while he was sure Ryan couldn’t follow if he tried. 

"Dr. Danforth!" James caught him just as he got to the door. "How's our Fiyero?"

Chad could feel Ryan’s eyes still on him and sighed, "_If _ he's going to finish out the performance tonight, he'll need some major support to keep any weight off his ankle."

Melissa, who’d appeared at his side, furrowed her brow in thought, "There's that green cane Mason just used in 'One Short Day'."

"But how will we explain it?” James frowned. 

Chad gave them a half-hearted shrug. “I don’t know and I don’t really care _ how _ you make it work, but if you _ don’t_, Mr. Evans could do lasting damage to his ankle. When he’s not on stage, he needs to be off his feet and his ankle needs to be iced, and _ as soon _ as the show is over, he needs to go to a hospital.” He crossed his arms, casting a quick glance over his shoulder at the blond now wrapped up in conversation with his posse, “Unless you think you can convince him to go _ now_.”

Melissa snorted, “Short of knocking him out, I don’t think that’d be possible.” 

“Well, Doctor,” James sighed heavily, “thank you for taking a look at him.”

“Sure.” Chad nodded, “Um, I should be off…”

“What do you mean?” James stepped back, intercepting Chad’s attempt at espace, “Won’t you stay for the rest?”

“No I need to get going-”

“But,” he put his hands up to catch the other, “but what if something else happens?” 

“Well,” Chad took a deep breath through his nose, stepping to the side again, “if it does, I’m _ sure _ you can handle it.” 

“But-”

“Let him go, James,” Melissa interceded, placing a hand on the director’s shoulder, “he obviously has somewhere else to be.” 

Chad gave her a grateful smile before fleeing the room without so much as a second glance. 


End file.
